Monthly Archives: July 2015

Yesterday I Climbed Mount Washington Twice. Once from each side. I started out at 7AM at Marshfield Station and Climbed the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to Lake of the Clouds and signed the log, The cloud ceiling was just about 100 feet higher than the hut so I headed in to the clouds and proceeded up Crawford Path to the Summit at 9:13, Clicked a quick Summit picture and then headed down the Tuckerman Ravine Trail through Tuckerman Ravine. Just below the water fall it started to sprinkle rain and by the time I reached the ravine floor it was raining, just below the Connection Avalanche Cache a full on squall hit, with gust strong enough to knock you off your feet and sheets of driving rain. I found a good size overhanging rock to huddle under with my rain gear on for about 20 minutes until the storm passed. Once back on my feet again I made it to Pinkham Notch Visitor Center at 11:40, I went over and touched Rt. 16 to make my second ascent official. I went into the Visitor Center to fill my water bottle and ask if I could check the radar, because my smartphone doesn’t get service on the east side of the mountain, and I was curious how close the predicted thunderstorms were getting to the area. After letting me check the radar on his computer, the AMC trail information guy told me it probably wasn’t a good day for a hike. I told him I actually already hiked the mountain once and now I have to go back over again because my car was on the other side. He looked at me totally confused and concerned, I think he thought I came down the wrong side by mistake. I thought it would be funny to just let him keep thinking that, and didn’t bother explaining further, and just thanked him for use of his internet. The hike back up the lower Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Hermit Lake was by far most tedious part of the hike, but the sun was shining and there was blue sky in spots for the first time that day which lifted my spirits. I followed the Tuckerman Ravine Trail back up to the summit. I would have liked to mix up the trails a little bit for the second ascent but I decided for me these two routes were going to be the fastest for accomplishing my goal of summiting twice in a day. One nice thing about coming back through Tux was that I had not noticed that the snow arch was still standing on the way down because I was trying to get out of the ravine before the rain got heavier, but I was able to enjoy it on the way up, The Snow Arch is always tempting to go through, when it is this hollow, but I decided to forego the risky adventure this time despite it looking very stable. Once above the headwall the clouds got dark and thick, visibility was in the “Hiking From Cairn to Cairn Range”. Right about at the top of the headwall my phone battery quit so I wouldn’t be able to get anymore pics. With the predicted thunderstorms in the front of my mind I made quick time above tree line despite very sore and tired legs to get over the summit. I touched the summit sign at 2:02PM and immediately headed down the Crawford Path. I didn’t go into the State Park Building on either summit visit. I stopped and signed the log again at Lake of the Clouds and Pointed an arrow to my earlier log entry. And then took it easy going down the very slippery slabs on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. I arrived back at my car 3:51PM. As I placed my pack in my car and plugged my phone in to get a final picture I heard thunder off in the distance. My timing could not have been more perfect!
Starting out:
Ammo Ravine in the AM
Into the Clouds. I only got one summit shot due to my battery dying on my way up for the second trip.
Tux on my way down
Tux on my way back up
The Snow Arch
Plugged my phone in and got a pic at the end of my trip back at Marshfield Station